Blind Date

Right now you can watch Blind Date on streaming — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. With 548 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Kim Basinger is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. Put it on tonight and see for yourself.

Blind Date is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The jokes in Blind Date land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. When bachelor Walter Davis is set up with his sister-in-law's pretty cousin, Nadia Gates, a seemingly average blind date turns into a chaotic night on the town. Walter's brother, Ted, tells him not to let Nadia drink alcohol, but he dismisses the warning and her behaviour gets increasingly wild. Walter and Nadia's numerous incidents are made even worse as her former lover David relentlessly follows them around town. Kim Basinger and Bruce Willis lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1987. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and Blind Date holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-off curiosities. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Blind Date is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Kim Basinger is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.